The Tiger in the Smoke

The Tiger in the Smoke 

Albert Campion series, book 14 

Margery Allingham 

1952 

5/5 stars

Meg Elginbrodde is a war widow, recently engaged to be remarried.  She begins receiving recent snapshots of a man that looks the husband that was presumed dead so turns to her cousin, Albert Campion, for help.

Jack Havoc has escaped from prison and is leaving a trail of death in his wake, narrowly escaping the pursuing police, as he tries to locate a treasure he learned about during the War.

Their paths begin to crisscross, with Meg and her family becoming more and more at risk as Jack's desperation increases.  

This is not a mystery story -- most of the Campion novels are not -- but is rather a crime novel/psychological thriller.  Allingham expertly explores Havoc's mind and motives, leaving the reader on seat-edge waiting for what will happen next.  Meg's father, Canon Averill, is nearly as major a character as Havoc, and Allingham's treatment of him and his reasons for his actions is masterly and moving.  

Campion is only a minor character, so while I usually advise reading this series in order, I think this one could be safely read with no prior knowledge of the established characters; there will be a bit of confusion here and there, but the meat of the story will be unaffected.

This was a reread for me, and remains firmly my favorite of Allingham's work.  It is intelligent and well-written, completely engrossing, at times heart-rending, with an absolutely perfect ending.